The best of Prog rock

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Xandria is a __1___symphonic metalband, formed around the year 2000 __2__ Germany, but it's difficult to say exactly when they became the band they are today. Xandria is ____3____ of five members: Marco (Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals), Lisa (Vocals), Philip (Guitars), Roland (Bass) and Gerit (Drums).

The band was ____4____ by Marco, __5__ had the idea of a band with a dreamy and sensual sound that could still rock, almost in a heavy metal sense. But most important to him was the need for good songs. Many bands (in the scene that Xandria is supposedly included in) have a good atmospheric sound, but no real idea or melody that sticks in your head, which is where they go wrong. Xandria is set on ____6____ this problem.

Artists such as Pink Floyd, Abba, Metallica and Black Sabbath are just some of the bands that Marco was influenced by. After ____7____ the aforementioned artists, Marco found bands such as Paradise Lost, Anathema, The Gathering, Lake of Tears, and most importantly Tiamat (which were called Gothic Metal, even though their influences went far beyond just gothic, or just metal) that seemed to capture the same sound he was into. Marco has said that in 1994, Tiamat's album "Wildhoney" is what first brought on the idea of Xandria.

In the late 90's, influences such as Marilyn Manson, Type-O-Negative, Madonna and HIM were creating a sensual sound that eventually would turn into a dark-rocking modern Electronica approach, and this sound was ___8___ added to the list of things Marco wished to create. It ___8___ led to the idea of a male/female combination on vocals.

From 1994 to 1997, a band was brought on with Marco in it, but broke up soon thereafter when no specific direction for the band was formed. With songs from ___9___ period of time (along with some new ones), Marco set off to find new band members in 1999, after two years of learning about songwriting and song arrangement. A new band was finally formed, one that looked as if it may actually have a future in music. That band? Xandria.

Lisa Middelhauve is no longer Xandria's singer. She has ___10___ the band citing personal reasons and discomfort at being the band's front woman. Nowadays, the band has a new vocalist: Manuela Kraller.